


Chains

by Smitty1314



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Dothraki, Drogon Viseron and Rhaegal (different forms), Eventual Jon Snow/Daenerys Targaryen, Jealous Jon Snow, Jon and Daenerys Are Not Related, Jonerys AU Fest, Jonerys Week, POV Daenerys, Possesive Jon Snow, Queen Daenerys, Soldiers, Tattoos, Unsullied - Freeform, Valyria, ghost - Freeform, khaleesi - Freeform, unburnt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-12
Updated: 2018-10-07
Packaged: 2019-05-05 17:10:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 20,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14623317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Smitty1314/pseuds/Smitty1314
Summary: When Sons of the Harpy enslave Valyria and its people, Princess Daenerys Targaryen escapes away to the North, where she hides in the Northern army with her best friend Missandei Naarth as a soldier. With her family dead, she is the last Targaryen and the Queen of a fallen country. She must fight with fire and blood to uncover the secrets that killed her family and put her people in chains, but when she meets brooding Sergeant Jon Snow, could he uncover the mystery that is Dany Dāria?





	1. The Doom of Valyria

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! So this fic something that I’ve always wanted to try, and a modern Westeros is always a challenge. In this story Dany is the third child of King Aerys and Rhaella of Valryia. Dany is a very talented fighter in this fic, and in the story you will see Drogon, Viseron and Rhaegal in a different from. The story is set in the modern world, but I have made the American states the kingdoms of Westeros. This is a small taste of the fic, and if you would like me to continue please comment with what you liked and what you would like to see further in the story!  
> Also if anyone knows how to insert a mood board on to the fic could they please comment!

 

 

 

**Dany P.O.V**

_Spring had emerged in Valyria, bringing with it the beautiful colours of blooming flowers and the soft but warm sun._

_The Royal Gardens were a place of tranquillity and serenity and the place that Daenerys Targaryen, Princess of Valyria was resting. Tucked into her secret childhood spot, “Dany” as she was affectionately known as by her family and greatest friend Missandei Naarth, reclined into the welcoming arms of her Lemon Tree._

_She recalled her older brother Rhaegar, Crown Prince of Valyria, planting it when she was young, and telling her it would be her place to get away from the world, to get away from her mean brother Viserys and to get away from her responsibilities._

_Dany sighed, she was needed at the castle soon. As she started to get up and brush her clothes off Dany heard a bloodcurdling scream. A scream that turned into two screams, that turned into three, that turned into a chorus of terror._

_She hid in the lemon trees thick branches and watched men in Golden Masks sprint by with spears. “Sons of the Harpy” she whispered terrified. Her weapons were in the armoury, her loved weapons Drogon, Rhaegal and Viseron too far to protect her._

_She watched as they ran into the castle, she watched as they dragged out the Royal Family, She watched as they-_

She was dragged from her nightmare and into her bed by Missandei. “Again huh?” Missandei whispered, sympathy in her eyes.

 Dany nodded and sat up, bleary eyed and yawning, “why so early Missy?” she asked. “My Queen, are you forgetting the date?”

Dany gave her a warning look for the title and with a start she remembered. Today they were both being deployed.

 After their escape from Valyria they crossed the Narrow Sea and sailed to the American Continent, and then North (the largest state and the easiest to lose themselves in), trying to put as much distance as possible between them and the Harpy’s that had sacked her Kingdom.

 In an unfamiliar cold and harsh land, Missy and Dany needed somewhere that would disguise them, somewhere that could protect them.

They had travelled from motel to motel and relied on the kindness of Northern strangers. They had a stroke of luck one day, when a service station flyer told them of the Northern Army.

 Another stroke of luck informed them that the nearest recruiting centre was within walking distance. Dany and Missy had used the fake passports and papers that they had the foresight to buy on their journey and signed up on the spot.

Now they found themselves after 6 months of training ready to be deployed to war torn Iran. Missandei had excelled in intelligence and technology skills and Daenerys was reluctant to show her skills in weapons, as it would raise questions on where she leaned and that was exactly what they were trying to avoid.

They got ready and dressed in their dark northern army uniforms and Missandei and Dany feel into their age old routine of doing each other’s hair in tight buns, so unlike Dany’s usual complex braids.

Dany placed her mother ring in her chest pocket, close to her heart and steeled herself for the war to come. She had been lucky to have had the ring on her when they escaped, as it was her only connection to her mother.

They made their way from the dorms to the hangers, and Dany felt her emotions rise. What was she doing? Fighting wars for a country that was not Valyria? Why was she not out leading a rebellion?

But there were no rebels to start a rebellion with, she thought. The Harpy’s had enslaved them all or killed them.

And even though Dany had been trained in war and weapons, (her father and brother had been fearsome warriors and she had always tried to best them as a child, her competitive Targaryen side forced herself to train harder every morning and night until she had mastered all that she could) she knew that she needed allies and armies, both of which she no longer had.

They continued their walk down, and were ushered on the large jet. The flight would be long and boring, so she and Missy talked in hushed tones of how they would contact Varys and Tyrion while in a war torn country, as the two councilmen were the only two people in the world that knew they were alive, as they had smuggled them out of the fighting Valyria.

 

_The next morning_

The plane had landed and now she rode in the back of a camouflaged land rover, her rifle gripped tight. She was in the car with Missandei set to join the elite special forces team nicknamed “The Ghosts”.

She knew very little of the team, only that there were four men and one woman in the small squad. She also knew that they knew her as Dany Dāria, the Valyrian word for Queen as her last name, as the Targaryen name was too well respected and feared.

 

 Not that anyone would know Valyrian besides Missandei, but she needed something that would keep her from forgetting who she was, so that every time she heard it she would remember the people she was fighting for.

 

She was so far from Valyria, so far from her people and she felt shame for leaving them for their chains. But the Harpy’s would not kill her. They would not get the satisfaction of killing the last Targaryen.

They had learned an important lesson when her father and brother refused chains and went down swinging, bringing a hundred Harpy’s down between them. They had learnt that a dragon is not a slave.

 

Dust spinning in the air, the car slowed and rolled into the base. Men emerged from tents and small buildings to stare at the newcomers. Dany and Missy hopped out of the back and stared at their surroundings, the dust settling in their throats even with the best efforts of their neck bandanas.

 

Men stared at them, whispers of “another bloody woman” filling the air a wave of northern accents. Some turned away, as if they were disappointed. Dany felt her blood simmer angrily, the dragon stirring.

 

 She would show them fire and blood, she would sh-Missandei gripped her hand, sensing her anger.

 

“Let them underestimate us my queen, only bad things will come from attention”.

 

She pushed the dragon down and strode forward to the main building where they would be welcomed to the team. When they pushed the heavy doors open, they were greeted by five people lounging around the hall.

 

 A small woman with dark brown hair and dark grey eyes was lounging against the makeshift table tennis table. Dany got the impression that you would have missed her if you had something else on your mind, and her lithe and small body (just taller than Dany, if not the same height) had you thinking that she was able to blend into the shadows.

 

The man closest to her was the opposite. With a mammoth sized body and flaming red hair and beard, he stood out like a sore thumb. He was eating something rather aggressively (possibly chicken?) and raised his bushy eyebrows with a toothy grin as they walked in.

 

Another man was laughing, a close cropped dark haircut and the beginnings of a beard, not quite so tall as the redhead but with obvious strength in the arms and chest, and a permanent smile on his face.

 

The man talking to him was smaller but had a strong build, dark curly hair pulled back tight into a bun and a trimmed beard. He had stormy grey eyes and a serious, scarred and comely face. He immediantely has her attention, though she was not sure why. His rank on his uniform indicated he was the leader of the group. Ripping her eyes away from him she turned to look at the last man.

 

The last man was taller and slender, favouring a light build. As he turned Dany saw the eastern features, the shaved head and dark eyes. Her heart stopped. Missy took a sharp inhale in shock. As his eyes fell on them they widened and he took a step forward. A stuttered word fell out of his lips as the other soldiers frowned and looked to each other.

 

”Jelmāzmo” he whispered too lightly for the other three to hear.

 

It was Grey Worm.

 

What in the world was the commander of the Targaryen army doing in a northern army?


	2. Amethyst Eyes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jons P.O.V this time! Any tips or ideas are welcome in the comments. Enjoy!

  **Jon P.O.V**

 

Jon woke panting and gasping, blindly reaching for his combat knife under his pillow. As the dreaming haze lifted from his body, bright orange hair filled his vision, and a grinning Tormund Giantsbane looked down at him in his cramped army bed. “Sleepin in are ya? Suppose you need ya beauty sleep ta get those pretty locks ay!” the man laughed out.

Jon groaned and tried to escape to a world without giant crazy redheads, but Tormund threw back his sheets and stole his pillow with another barking laugh.

“Why so early Tormund?” he bit out, “Fresh meat today remember? And we put you in charge!”

Swearing Jon swung out of bed and was dressed in record time, ready for the changeover paperwork to come. A quick breakfast in the mess hall and then he was striding through the base, preparing for the arrivals.

Arya appeared out of nowhere and seamlessly matched his brisk pace. His half-sister had joined the Northern Army after him, as she could no longer sit and pretend that she was a perfect lady like her mother Catelyn wanted her to be. Never as good at stitching as her sister Sansa was, she used the money her mother was giving her for ballet lessons to take MMA classes.

When her mother found out after trying to pick her up from the piano tutors place and finding she had never even been there once, she blew a fit and banned Arya from such things, which didn’t work out to well when Arya left the next month to join the army like Jon had.

While Catelyn had been a perfect mother to her own children, she had nothing but scorn for Jon. Her husband’s bastard and her life’s biggest shame, she wanted Ned to give him away. But Ned, the ever honourable Stark he was, raised Jon as if he were his trueborn son. When Ned died of cancer, there was nothing in between Jon and Catelyn, so he left Winterfell manor and joined the army the next month at age 18.

Now he was the youngest Sergeant in history, an accomplishment that Catelyn hated him for, hated him for being as good as Robb, who had decided to stay in Winterfell and get into politics, hoping to take his father job as Mayor of Winterfell.

He and Arya strode silently down the corridor and into the rooms where he addressed the team for a squad meeting and to welcome the new soldiers. Tormund sat on a couch, chomping down on his favourite meal (chicken), and Gendry stood staring in awe as Tormund finished his chicken in record time and started eating another.

Tormund had come to the Northern army “for fun-and to see if you southern fuckers can fight”. He came from a tribe up far north, and had decided to that he wanted to go somewhere warm for a change.

Gendry had made his way down from the capital of Westeros-Kings Landing. Sporting a rather tragic story of living in the slums and looked down on by every high lord and lady. He had grown up an apprentice smith, but when Cersei Lannister took over the Capitol and the other states broke away from the main country Westeros, he went North and signed up.

Grayson was a curious one. He had appeared out of nowhere and had been highly trained-more than what they teach you in basic training. He told them he was from the reach, but his Essosi features suggested otherwise.

When he spoke he answered in basic common tongue and with a slightly musical accent. He was skilled and highly obedient, willing to do everything, but never pledging his direct allegiance, as if something was holding him back.

“Alright guys we have fresh meat in ten and I want you all on your best behaviour” He gave a pointed look at Tormund who gave him an innocent face. Arya slunk over to the Table Tennis Table and Jon went over to Gendry to try and discourage him from picking up Tormund’s eating habits.

The door pushed open, a blast of hot air accompanying it. Two woman walked into the room, taking in their surroundings. The first woman was taller than the second by a fair margin, and had curly dark ringlets and a dark skin tone. She had warm dark eyes and a bandana around her neck.

The second woman…oh gods. His breathe caught. She was stunning, not of this world. Silver hair flowed down her back in braids, tucked into her dark bandana around her forehead. Strands of it had escaped and framed her soft face, smile dimples and a light dusting of freckle on her rosy checks. She had an athletic build, looked as though she could dance around you till you dropped. But her eyes were the most astonishing thing about her, a shocking amethyst, unlike anything he had ever seen before. She was the most ethereal thing he had ever seen.

But she was frowning now, smile dimples gone and a grave look on her face. The other woman gave a soft gasp, both their eyes locked on something behind him. He turned in confusion, and was perplexed to see the ever stoic Grayson shock still.

Grayson whispered something, a strange emotion coming across his face. Jon didn’t recognise the word he spoke. Was that reverence? Why would he look to two strangers with goddamn reverence? Jon shared a bewildered look with the rest of the squad, Arya moved off the table tennis table in interest of the scene unfolding.

Grayson stepped forward and made his way over to the women slowly. He looked over at the other members of the squad with shock, as if he had just remembered they were there. The other women seemed to come to the same realisation and adopted blank looks on their face, as if nothing strange had occurred in the 30 second exchange.

Jon sensed the tension in the air and stepped forward. “Welcome to Base” he said with a smile. “I’m Jon Snow, this is Tormund Giantsbane, Arya Stark, Gendry Waters and Grayson Worm” he introduced himself and pointed out all the members of the team.

 The amethyst eyed girl and the curly haired girl both stepped forward and saluted him with outstanding synchronisation. He saluted back and held out his hand to shake, both of them having an extremely firm grip.

“I’m Dany Dāria, and this is Missandei Naarth” she said with an almost warning glace at Grayson, as if daring him to contradict her. Gods her voice was intoxicating. Grayson stepped forward again, and spoke in the same accent that Dany had. “Very nice to meet you Miss Dāria and Miss Naarth”. What the hell was going on? Did they know each other or not?

“You as well, Grey-Grayson” Missandei stuttered out. Arya made her way to his side and shook both girls hand with a suspicious glance, and Tormund swept them both up in bear hugs. Gendry greeted them with a toothy smile, not at all suspicious or worried about the tension earlier.

“Where are you guys from?” he asked as they made their warm to the barracks to show them to their new room.

 “The reach, just off Highgarden” Dany smiled, “same as Grayson then” Jon replied

 “Oh really?” She shot a small glance at Missandei by her side that neither Jon nor Arya missed. “What about you”

“North, Winterfell, same as Arya my sister” he smiled back gesturing to his ever silent sister. Something about Dany made it hard to breathe around her, as if she was not of this world.

Reaching their rooms he pointed out the space, not much by any means, two small beds, a small closet and a crate for private objects and mementos. Dany and Missy both thanked him, but it was obvious their minds were elsewhere.

He informed them that the squad was eating tonight in their private common room (which wasn’t really private but the other squads were to scared of the Ghosts to speak up) and that they were going over mission plans after.

Leaving them to get settled he paced back to his dorm and practically fell against the door, head in hands. What the hell was going on with him? Why was this girl affecting him so much? And what was going on with Grayson?

They were obviously not from Highgarden and Grayson was not from the reach, and if he was mad, he might have said they were Valyrian, but everyone knew the mysteriously private Valyrians were slaughtered and enslaved by invading forces.

And Dany Dāria. Why was this girl making him come out of his shell within 10 minutes of knowing her? Memories of a laughing redhead came to his mind, but they were pushed aside by the questions swirling in his head. He looked up and got a fright when he saw Arya silently lounging on his bed, a frown crossing her face. “I don’t trust them” she spoke, “Their lying already, Grayson too”.

 “We need to trust them Arya, we go out in a few days. And besides, see what you can gleam from tonight squad meeting, you’re good at that”.

“I know” she smirked with a wolfish grin “But did you see the way they carried themselves? They looked like fighters Jon, and not with guns”.

Jon agreed, he had noticed their light builds the amethyst eyed girl Dany had rough hands, as if she had been fighting with spears or something like that. “Lets get to the meeting soon, maybe have a few drinks and see what we can get out  of them. But otherwise we need to trust that their intentions are good, I don’t want a split team on the field ok?”

Arya mockingly saluted and stalked out the door. Jon put his head back on his hands, the questions from earlier creeping back in his mind.

 “I need a drink” he decided.


	3. The guitar in the corner of the room

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter! Hope you guys enjoy and don't forget to leave a comment with what you like and what you would like to see further in the story!

_As he turned Dany saw the eastern features, the shaved head and dark eyes. Her heart stopped. Missy took a sharp inhale in shock. As his eyes fell on them they widened and he took a step forward. A stuttered word fell out of his lips as the other soldiers frowned and looked to each other._

_”Jelmāzmo” he whispered too lightly for the other three to hear._

_It was Grey Worm._

_What in the world was the commander of the Targaryen army doing in a northern army?_

 

                                                                           **Chapter Three-The guitar in the corner of the room**

 

After the 20 seconds of heart stopping shock, a wave of emotions and questions rolled over Dany’s mind. How was he alive? Dany thought he had perished, as Grey Worm would rather die than be enslaved again.

 And what of his Unsullied? Dany had freed them once before and had let them slip back in to chains when the Harpies attacked. Or had they escaped? And if her unsullied had escaped then what about her Khalasar? She suppressed her memories of the Great Grass Sea and the Khal.

She had comforted Missandei as they had mourned the loss of the loyal commander. Missandei had cried in to her arms and the endless lonely nights she heard her sobbing in the dorms, regretting that she hadn’t admitted her true feelings to Grey Worm.

A quick glance at Missandei saw her tears be pushed back and a blank face be adopted and Dany cleared hers as well, not forgetting that they were not alone. Grey Worm was looking at her as if he wanted to bow, but a warning glance kept him rooted to the ground and his stoic expression back.

The Sergeant stepped forward, and she gripped his hand firmly. His bearded face was young, and Dany wondered how he made the sergeant rank so quickly. His voice was rough as he greeted her and introduced himself as Jon Snow, and Daenerys deliberately ignored how much she liked the way his name flowed off his tongue in his Northern accent. He introduced the team, and she noticed he introduced his teammates with a fond voice, as if they were family.

She found herself longing to be a normal soldier, longing to be apart of that family. But dragons plant no trees she reminded herself. But she also reminded herself that she was Dany Dāria now. Jon Snow as she now knew him as, showed her and Missandei to their rooms and informed them that there was a team dinner and information about the next mission being explained.

 Something about Jon made her trust him, which scared her, as he was practically a stranger.

The door shut and she and Missy stood in their new room, silent. The Missy let out a sob, and Dany gathered her in to her arms. “Where has he been?” she choked out.

“He must have escaped in the Doom, and run like us. We need to tell Varys and Tyrion about this, see if any others escaped.”

Missandei quieted and stepped back, wiping her tears. They worked together to set up the room and Dany patted her pocket to feel her mother’s ring, tucked her dog tags into her shirt and checked that her rolled up sleeves covered her Targaryen Sigel tattoo, the black dragons roaring and spitting fire on her arm.

 The tattoo had been her teenage rebellion act, and she remembered clear as day Rhaegar pretending to be mad but secretly loving it and jealous he couldn’t get one. Her brother had always been jealous of Daenerys, that she got to travel the world, while he was stuck in Valyria.

But Rhaegar was practically her father, and had raised her to be adventurous and brave, and he would never bind her to Valyria the way he was.

So when Rhaegar married Elia Martell, and Prince Oberyn came to Valyria for the wedding, the Dornish man had seen her practicing with her throwing knife Viseron (a gift from Rhaegar when Viserys had been extremely mean to her), and had offered for her to come to Dorne for a year to learn the spear.

Daenerys had been bursting with joy at the possibility to train with her idol, the Red Viper, so Rhaegar had begged their father to let her go. Her father had reluctantly agreed and so Dany spent a year learning under the Red Viper, training every day from morning to night until she could beat him with a plain wooden staff.

On her last day, he had presented her with a double-sided spear, with a green dragon curling up the whole length and green ribbons adorning it. Its bronze blades were finely made and extremely sharp. She had named the spear Rhaegal, and had returned to Valyria, where she had proudly shown Rhaegar her new skills.

A knock at the door sounded and she pushed Rhaegar from her mind, both she and Missy standing up.

Opening the door, slipping in and shutting it quickly in fear of being seen, Grey Worm entered. He dropped to a knee on the hard floor and bowed his head. “Rise Commander” she commanded and when he did, she gave him a strong hug. He stepped back and hugged Missy for twice as long. He was staring at them in wonder and said, “We’ve been looking for you for so long my Queen”.

“Who was looking for us Grey Worm?” Missandei asked, brushing tears away.

“Dovaogēdy se dohraki” he whispered. Dany started, they were alive?

“Grey worm how many escaped?” Dany asked urgently, her tone raising slightly.

“Most my Queen, we managed to send word to the Dothraki to run, but the civilians had already been rounded up. We escaped and sent three Unsullied into to Northern army to give us Intel and look for you. Varys and Tyrion have been in contact with us, advising us of your movements. The rest of the Dothraki and Unsullied are hiding out on Dragonstone, Jelmāzmo” he said in broken common tongue

Dany sat down and put her head in her palms. The people she had worked so hard to free when she had set out with the dothraki in Slavers Bay were alive! And in Dragonstone, her family’s private and secret island, all waiting for news of her. But her Valyrian people were still chained in their own home country! She had to see them and she had to get allies and-

Another knock at the door sounded.

“Nice meeting you Grayson, we looking forward to fighting with you” Dany stood and said, trying to cover up what was going on as calmly as possible as Arya Stark poked her head in the door.

“Dinners in 5 minutes, you might want to start making your way down now” Arya said, her eyes not missing Grey Worm in the room, and she obviously felt the tension in the air as looked at all of them with careful eyes. Arya looked around the room once more, and noiselessly shut the door.

They listened as her footsteps faded away, hearts still racing.

“Meet us here later tonight Grey Worm, you must pretend you don’t know us in the meantime. And remember, I’m your teammate not your Queen to them, act like it” Dany commanded as she and Missy left the room and started walking to the common room.

They made their way to the common room with the instructions Jon had given them. Jon-another thought swirling in her mind. She remembered how natural her hand had felt in his, how comforting his gaze was.

But there was no time for any of that, she had contact Varys and Tyrion and tell them the news, she had to get to Dragonstone somehow as well. 

She and Missy entered the common room to raucous cheers led by the grinning redhead from before. “Fresh meats here!” he yelled and swept them into another bear hug that had Dany and Missy struggling to breathe.

The room was on the small side, but was very cosy inside. Multiple couches and seats and a dartboard that Arya was trouncing Gendry on. Jon sat laughing as Arya got her third bullseye in a row. A guitar stood on a rack, and she remembered her endless lessons with Rhaegar teaching her to play any instrument known to man (at least that’s what it felt like to 14 year old Dany).

She and Missy took a couch and tried to relax as much as possible and fit in. Missy grabbed them both a beer (how they got them in an army base she had no idea, though she cast a suspicious glance at Tormund) and Dany popped them open with her knife. 

Grey Worm walked in and took a chair stiffly, and the darts game came to a close as everyone gathered around on couches facing the big map of Iran. The map had a very stereotypical red yarn winding its way around specific points, and a man’s photo was pinned up on the board under the heading _Target._

 _You’ve got to be kidding me_ Dany thought as she recognised the face. And her bad luck grew when Jon announced that their next target was well known slaver Kraznys mo Nakloz. Missandei stiffened and Grey Worms face darkened.

Missandei had escaped from the man when she was young, and had found refuge in Valyria were she met young princess Daenerys. But Grey Worm had been a slave for the man’s mercenary army, the Unsullied. Daenerys still remembered the way the man had tried to cheat her, not knowing she was a princess. She remembered how he boasted about brutally mutilating the Unsullied in their training.

She had been young, and had only just become (more like won) the Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea. While she was undoubtedly one of the best fighter in the land (if not _the_ best) she was still unskilled in the ways of war. So Kraznys mo Nakloz had slipped out her grasp and gotten away from a life sentence in Valyria.

Gods the lecture from Rhaegar had been horrendous. He had shouted through the phone, telling her to come home and give up on this foolish vision of breaking the wheel. But she would not give up, she would not let her dream stay a dream. But that was a story for another time she thought, focusing back on Jon. She would be given another chance to kill this man (and let Missandei and Grey Worm have a slice as well).

Jon explained that Kraznys had been stealing local children and turning them into child soldiers, sex slaves and even more despicable things. The grin Tormund wore was replaced by a feral and savage snarling look, and Gendry looked rather queasy as Jon continued to talk about Krazneys’s crimes.

Arya sat frowning sharpening a fine blade, too long for a dagger but almost like an extremely thin and wickedly pointy sword.

“We go out tomorrow and reach the compound at nightfall, and we travel together. Intel suggests that Krazneys is hiding out in a small compound 5 hours away with a group of about 30 soldiers. We go through the back and move through the house spreading as we go until we find him. Intel also advises that Krazneys’s keeps the child slaves in the basement of the house and to avoid the lit courtyard were the guards patrol. Our objective is to kill or capture Krazneys. Any weapons you prefer can be used, Grayson here likes to use a spear and Arya and myself have swords, but everyone will be carrying their rifle and Glock.”

The last part of Jon’s speech he directed at Daenerys and Missy who nodded in understanding. Formalities over Jon grabbed a beer, telling everyone only two were allowed (which gained him a large boo from Tormund).

They engaged in raucous conversation and Gendry’s teasing earned him several punches from Arya (who had thankfully put down the sword). After a lot of prompting from the team, Jon started a story featuring him and his brother Robb and a night in a Winterfell pub.

The story dwelled on and finally finished with a hospital trip and burnt eyebrows, leaving them all in tears of laughter. Dany giggled, surprised at the sound of her own laugh, which had been a rare sight in the last 6 months. Jon smiled at her, and the dragons in her stomach flew at a pace that embarrassed her.

Looking away from Jon her eyes were drawn to the guitar that stood in the corner. A longing to feel her fingers fly across the strings and to escape ached in her. Tearing her gaze away she met Jon’s eyes again and he leaned forward and asked her softly in his Northern burr, “You play?”.

She nodded and he stood and walked over to the guitar, depositing it in her lap, his hand lingering longer than it really should have. “Oh no really, its been too long” she said, but by now the rest of the team had noticed the guitar in her lap and Tormund’s grin told her she wasn’t escaping.

 Missandei grinned, remembering simpler days where they had played and sung under the lemon tree. She made the mistake of looking at Gendry, and his puppy dog eyes made her feel so guilty that she gave in (much to Tormund’s delight). “Any recommendations?” Dany asked.

“A love song” Gendry said and winced as Arya shoved him and teased him with no mercy.

“I’ll see what I can do” she replied with a smile.

Her mind flew back to Rhaegar’s hands misting over his harp, and she settled on a song that he had helped her write under her lemon tree.

Her hand strummed and her mouthed opened to sing for the first time in 6 months.


	4. A Cleansing Rain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! So this fic something that I’ve always wanted to try, and a modern Westeros is always a challenge. In this story Dany is the third child of King Aerys and Rhaella of Valryia. Dany is a very talented fighter in this fic, and in the story you will see Drogon, Viseron and Rhaegal in a different from. The story is set in the modern world, but I have made the American states the kingdoms of Westeros. This is a small taste of the fic, and if you would like me to continue please comment with what you liked and what you would like to see further in the story!

**Chapter Four- A Cleansing Rain**

**Jon P.O.V**

Jon did get his drink. For once, he was happy Tormund knew how to sneak them in. Arya was schooling Gendry in darts and he was watching on in amusement as Gendry cheered whenever he hit the board.

The door swung open and Dany and Missandei walked in to Tormund’s cheers. He pretended not to watch as she popped her beer open with her knife and took a swig, pretended not to notice how her- oh gods he needed to focus.

Once everyone was in the common room, he stood to announce their next target. Krazneys was an evil man though and through and Jon could not deny the bile that rose in his throat at the mentions of child slavery. The squad was serious and poor Gendry looked a little sick.   _Any man who puts a weapon in a child’s hands and tells them to fight is no man_ thought Jon.

He finished up as quickly as possible and they relaxed on the couches, savouring their two beers. Arya had put down Needle, and he smiled at the fine blade. After her mother had found out she was skipping ballet and piano Arya had been grounded severely. In effort to cheer her up Jon had gone out to the town and had a small blade forged.

He had given it to her that night, and by the gods her smile had been blinding. She practiced with it secretly every day in her room, and had even been lucky enough to find a teacher in the army called Syrio Forel, who taught her the lethal but charming water dance. Now she twirled it every chance she got, and was not afraid to stick someone with the pointy end.

Missandei and Dany fit into the squad perfectly. They got along well with everyone and laughed at Tormund’s horrible stories. But he still couldn’t shake his suspicion about the twenty second silent exchange between them and Grayson.

As the team dragged him into a tale of one of his and Robbs drunken escapades, he noticed the sparkle in her violet eyes, like the sparks from a lighter being flicked on.

Jon started an easy conversation up with her, asking her about her family. She didn’t know who her mother was, and was raised by her merchant father who was often traveling. Because of his long absences she was practically raised by her older brother, “Ray”. Jon assumed his name was something like Raymond or even Richard. She spoke of him fondly as if she missed him terribly, and as she did he noticed her eyes flick to the guitar in the corner.

It had been there untouched for ages, and no one really knew who’s it was. He leaned forward and asked her “you play?”

Her reply of “Ray taught me” with a sad smile made him get up and grab the old guitar for her, desperate to know more about her. The rest of the team caught on and she couldn’t say no to the hoots and cheers of the squad (especially Gendry’s puppy dog eyes-they were lethal).

Nodding at Gendry’s request for a love song she strummed her fingers across the strings in a slow jaunty closed her amethyst eyes. Opening her mouth, she sung out with a smile. His jaw dropped as the first verse sung out into the silent room.

_“When the night has come_

_And the land is dark_

_And the moon is the only light we’ll see_

_No I won't be afraid, no I won't be afraid  
Just as long as you stand, stand by me”_

 

Jon was lost for words. Her voice was just the right pitch, reaching all the notes effortlessly. Her fingers knew the chords by heart and ghosted over them thoughtlessly. The song she sung was obviously meant to be happy, but her voice spun it into a hundred thousand different tales.

  
_“So darlin', darlin', stand by me, oh now now stand by me  
Stand stand by me, stand by me”_

  
Missandei hummed and swayed, and a small smile appeared on Grayson’s face. Tormund looked gobsmacked, and Gendry was bobbing his knee along with Arya. Dany voice filled the room and her words washed over them like a cleansing rain.

 

_“If the sky that we look upon_

_Should tumble and fall_

_And the mountains should crumble to the sea_

_I won’t cry, I won’t cry, no I won’t shed a tear_

_Just as long as you stand, stand by me”_  


The song winded down and by now everyone was bouncing their knees and humming along to the strums of Dany’s guitar.

  
_“Darlin', darlin', stand by me, stand by me  
__Oh stand by me, stand by me, stand by me…”_

The room was silent for a moment as Dany’s eyes opened and met with Jon’s. He closed his mouth with a _clink_ and stared back at her. He thought for a moment that he could see a tear forming in her eyes, but it was gone in a blink. A slow clapping filled the room and some soft whistles of appreciation sounded. She smiled bashfully and laid the guitar propped up beside her.

“I’ve never heard that one” Gendry said excitedly. “It’s a new one” Dany told him, “I wrote it”. More whistles of appreciation flew around the room and Jon felt something in his chest spread through his body with a warmth that stunned him.

Gendry reached for beer number three and Jon swatted his hand away. Tormund tried to no avail to get Dany to sing another song. The rest of the night continued in its usual fanfare of hysterical laughter, and Jon couldn’t resist stealing glances at Dany. More than once he caught her eyes and looked away embarrassed.

Jon stood to shepherd the squad to their beds, everyone groaning like children whinging about a bedtime. He then told everyone on their way out to meet back here after lunch to go over the plan and then head out.

 Dany brushed passed him, closer than needed in the wide hallway, thrills shooting through his body he felt the soft fabric of her uniform touch his arm. He went to bed that night in his private room (best part of being the sergeant) with thoughts of silver hair in between his fingers.

 

**Dany P.O.V**

When Dany finished her song, she opened her eyes and immediately found Jon’s, who looked at her with an open mouth. It had felt good to sing the song, and she almost felt like Rhaegar was singing and playing his harp beside her, tapping his foot to the beat. But when her eyes opened and reality crashed back in, she held tight to the thought of her people on Dragonstone.

 Jon stared at her with warm chocolate eyes, and before she knew it, she was being begged by Tormund (more like harassed) to sing another. After her adamant refusal they went back to laughing at each other’s stories, in particular one of Arya saving a confused Gendry on the field.

She felt her eyes and concentration drift and land on Jon’s smiling face, and when he looked up and his gaze met hers, she turned her head so quickly her neck burned. Her cheeks were burning in embarrassment, and to make it worse Missandei had caught on to the stares and was shooting her suggestive looks.

As the night wrapped up Jon said his parting words and wished everyone a good night, Dany would deny to Missandei on the walk back to their room that she brushed past him on purpose. As they shut the door to their room behind them, Missandei collapsed into giggles and Daenerys didn’t have it in her to defend herself.

“My Queen”

Both girls jumped with fists raised, they had not noticed the silent Grey Worm standing in the shadows. When he stepped into the light, Dany’s breathe caught and she gasped. In Grey Worms hand was Rhaegal, his bronze blades gleaming and the green dragon curling up his length snarling.

Dany rushed forward to grab her dragon, as she had so affectionately nicknamed her weapons. The polished wood and carefully intertwined metal dragon felt just right in her hand, a third limb reunited. She desperately asked Grey Worm where he got Rhaegal and he told her that he had smuggled them out in the confusion and rush of the Doom, and that the other dragons were at Dragonstone.

She twirled him around, faster and faster and imitated striking out. It felt natural and smooth, a form of freedom, a form of flying. While she reunited with Rhaegal, Missandei and Grey Worm talked quietly in Valyrian, words they never got to say to each other before the Doom flowing out in an emotional whispered rush.

 A wide smile was present on all three faces, and Grey Worm slipped from the room quietly, both of them wishing him good luck for tomorrow, but he grinned and said “this one is not worried” as the door clicked shut.

 

She and Missandei talked quietly into the night, the dark haired girl gushing on about Grey Worms heartfelt words. Dany felt at ease once again, a hand on Rhaegal and a hand over her mothers ring.

 

She rested easy that night, thoughts of curly black hair between her fingers sending her to sleep.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! Im going away for the next three weeks, but I will hopefully be able to update throughout the trip. Its a long flight from Australia to Munich, so I'm hoping to get as much written as posible!


	5. Fire in her eyes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back with a action chapter! Hope you guys enjoy this one and remember to leav a comment with what you liked and what you wanna see!

**Chapter 5- Fire in her eyes**

_The Next Day- 15:00_

The squad assembled in the common room, and spent the next two hours going over the plan and strategies for if it all went to shit.

Grayson chose his usual wooden spear with a wicked black edge (where he learned to spear fight in the Reach Jon had no clue), Arya with Needle on her hip, Tormund with his axe strapped to his back and Jon armed with Longclaw (his father’s last gift to him before he died, a longsword made of a strange material no one knew the name of).

Dany and Missy had ducked off to grab their weapons, and he chatted with Grayson quietly. Grayson was the perfect soldier and Jon trusted him immensely in carrying out his orders, but he couldn’t help but wonder about the strange man’s past.

His military files told Jon that he was an orphan from the Reach, and that’s it. The same was true for the two girls. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong with their stories, and that something was bubbling under the surface of their calm and at ease exteriors.

Shaking the troubling thoughts from his head, he gave a short and sharp whistle. Almost immediately he saw soldiers recoil and back up as a wold with fur as white as the snow of Winterfell slunk around the corner, red eyes glowing.

Jon’s lip curled upwards at the sight of his long time companion. He had found Ghost in the woods at Winterfell, where he had been curled up at the base of a tree, slowly dying after his mother abandoned him.

He was obviously the runt of the litter, with his small size and sickly body. Jon had stared into those piercing red eyes and known he was special, known that they had a connection. He had taken Ghost home and begged his father to let him keep it, which Ned very reluctantly allowed, telling him Ghost was now his responsibility.

 And so Jon had raised his wolf pup with help from Arya, and had nursed him back to health. But Ghost had begun to grow bigger than expected, and Ned had told Jon that he must let him go, that Ghost must return to the Northern wild.

 But Jon had refused and argued, when Arya teamed up with him against their father, Ghost had been allowed to stay. He trained him and worked with him every day, and when Jon signed up he brought Ghost with him. Truth be told, Ghost had gained Jon a lot of respect from his peers, and was part of the reason Jon was a sergeant so young.

Jon laughed internally as soldiers shrunk away from the wolf, whose shoulders were as high as Jon’s hip. Ghost could snarl and growl all he liked, but Jon knew he would always end up draped across his bed, snoring like a puppy.

Ghost sat at Jon’s feet patiently, and if Grayson was scared, he hid it damn well. Grayson looked at something behind Jon with- _was that pride?_

Turning and viewing what had Grayson was looking at, Jon found himself speechless. Because striding across base, dust blowing up at their heels, was Dany and Missandei. Dark bandanas were tied around their heads, and red and black paint made streaks down Dany’s face and down her neckline and Jon wondered how far- _Nope Nope Nope_ Jon thought to himself.

Strapped to Missandei’s hip were two wicked looking daggers, but what really made him stunned was the spear slung over Dany’s back. It was double sided and as she came closer, he saw the detailed green dragon snarling at the base of the bronze blades. It had leather ties dyed green decorating it at the base of the blades and it was obviously of fine make. 

Dany’s face was determined, but the look softened when she spied Ghost at Jon’s feet. Dany stepped up beside him and it was quite a funny sight to see Ghost see eye to eye with her. She slowly reached forwards to pat him, and Jon had just opened his mouth to warn her against touching him, but Ghost had let her scratch his massive head. 

Once again stunned he turned to her with his face carefully blank. She offered him a grin and mock punched him, then turned away and strutted off, not before calling out over her shoulder, “nice pup”. He looked at Ghost and Ghost looked back with a gleam in his eyes.

Jon gasped in mock outrage as Ghost started trotting off after Dany, but quieted when he heard a snort from behind him. Missandei stood, arms crossed, and smiling softly. She looked at him as if she was judging his worth, and finally nodded in approval.

Approval for what reason Jon didn’t know, but he didn’t get a chance to ask as she walked past him and hopped in the back of the truck. Shouldering his gun he opened the door to driver’s seat of the Land Rover, but Tormund was sitting grinning in the seat, and Arya in the passenger seat smirking at him.

“Absolutely not” Jon said “last time Tormund drove we were stranded for two hours”. “I’ll be good pretty boy” Tormund promised “Don’t you worry your curls off”. So Jon reluctantly walked around and took a seat in the back, which was _coincidently_ right next to Dany.

 _Traitor_ he thought when Arya turned in her seat and stifled a laugh at his position, wedged beside Dany.

 

_Hours Later_

It was dark now, and the land rover had slowed to a crawl. A sliver of moonlight caught onto a strand of Dany’s hair that had fallen on Jon’s shoulder. He tried not to notice her intoxicating smell and stared at his feet. Tormund cut the engine and everybody stilled, hands griping weapons and eyes trained on Jon.

Jon signalled them out of the land rover and into a defensive circle, scanning for threats. They fanned out and moved forward, guns trained on any suspicious shapes. Krazney’s compound was on the opposite side of the mountain in front of them, so they would have the advantage of higher ground.

They moved forward, Ghost slinking up the rocky mountain in a prowl. They were in an arrow formation, Jon at the top with Ghost and Dany and Arya at his left and right, the rest of the squad behind them.

They reached the mountains crest and grouped together on their stomachs overlooking the compound. It was larger than what Intel suggested, with more guards than there was supposed to be, all heavily armed. 

Jon spotted a way down the mountain that would provide cover and camouflage, and pointed it out to the squad. Before they made their way down he whispered to the determined faces around him. He stared into Dany’s amethyst eyes, the passion in them inspiring him. 

 “We fight together, we kill together, we die together. And together we rid the world of the worst scum humanity has to offer. Am I clear?”

“Clear”

“Clear”

“Clear”

“Clear”

“Clear”

They picked their way down the mountain behind Jon, never stumbling and never dropping their guard. They reached the compound and took cover behind the bushes, away from the harsh lights, and away from the prowling guards.

They would enter through the back entrance and sweep the building fast and efficiently if all went to plan. Jon signalled with his hand and the group moved as one towards their target. Lining up against the high wall, Gendry moved to door. Jon counted down from three on his fingers and Gendry kicked open the door with a resounding crash.

The red haze took over Jon’s mind, the adrenaline coursing through him as he took the lead. Jon entered first, gun up and scanning, Dany at his side in an instant. Two men rounded around the corner and Dany and Jon fired at the same time, red blossoming on their chests. _One, Two._

Ghost charged past Jon at the same time another man rounded the corner, the massive wolf leaping forwards and straight at the unlucky man’s throat. _Three._

Shouts were now echoing around the compound and Jon and Dany turned right around the corner, followed by Tormund and Arya. Gendry, Missandei and Grayson went left and shots immediately echoed down the hall.

The four rushed down the corridor, which opened up to reveal ten or so guards scrambling to make a formation. Four quick shots fired out and four guards dropped. _Four, Five, Six, Seven._

Arya danced around a bear of a man with light steps, Needle appearing in his chest from behind in an instant. _Eight_.

Tormund drew his axe and threw it with deadly accuracy at a man who was aiming for him; the axe sending him slumped against the wall. _Seven._ Jon dropped another and drew Longclaw from his scabbard, its dark blade glinting and swirling as he thrust it through another man’s chest. _Nine, Ten._

As he pulled it from the man with a grunt, he saw Dany’s eyes widen and in the flashes of fire he saw a glint of recognition directed at his blade. Why would she recognise his blade? As far as he knew, the material it was made of was unknown. But there was no denying she knew something about it as she turned and sent two men to the floor in a matter of seconds. _Eleven, Twelve._

The four stormed through the next door and burst into a large courtyard. Shots immediately came from all directions and Dany threw aside her gun, slinging her spear into her waiting hands.

Tormund took out two men with a single swing of his axe and Jon twirled and stabbed through a man straight in front of him. _Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen._ Using the man’s body as a shield, he spun and cut though two others that had come to close.

A haze overtook Jon as Longclaw slashed and diced. _Sixteen, Seventeen, Eighteen, Nineteen and Twenty._ As the men took their last breathes Jon looked up and saw Dany.

She looked like a Goddess. A circle of slumped men surrounded her, and she jumped and twirled over their bodies to begin duelling two men. Her painted face snarled and gleamed red and black as she spun her spear above her head, slicing both the men’s throats.

She jumped high in the air and impaled a man with one side of the spear and as she pulled it out, she thrust it backwards to end the man who was coming at her from behind. Four more guards were rushing her now, and she deflected a flurry of bullets by spinning her spear rapidly, the bullets pinging off the metal. 

Roundhouse kicking the first man she sent him to the ground, and throwing her spear she impaled the second, sprawled on the ground grasping at the spear in his chest. Dany spun around the third man, and kicked his knees, forcing him to the floor.

She drew her pistol and fired a shot at the last man, before she turned it back to the third with a _bang._ Jon lost count of his tally.

Her painted face was now splashed with blood, her silver hair swinging as she pulled her spear out of the man, stepped back and took a deep breath. She turned and saw him, Arya and Tormund all staring at her as they caught their breath.

He saw the silent impressed look on Arya’s face, and he knew that if they got out of this, Dany would never escape her questions.

Her eyes flicked across theirs and landed on Jon’s, burning and simmering like a furious volcano. The fire cleared from her eyes as she starred at Jon.

_Bang_

Dany cried out, the fire returning to her gaze as she turned and threw her spear at the man who had shot her, killing him instantly in one fluid movement. She exhaled deeply and all four rushed to her, but she shooed them away, saying she had only been skimmed on the shoulder.

Despite the red blooming on her uniform she rushed ahead, spear glinting and silver locks of hair that had escaped her braids whipping around her face.

Following her the four came to a stop at a large wooden door, two more guards raising their weapons, but dropping them with a clatter to the floor when two knives protruded out of their chests. When their bodies fell Missandei stood there, and the fierce faces of Grayson and Gendry glared at her sides. From behind them growled Ghost, blood dripping from his mouth and staining his white coat red.

Missandei sheathed her knives and nodded at Jon, her eyes drawn to the red soaked shoulder of Dany. They all knew what room this was, had prepared for this moment only hours before. This was Krazney’s office, and the only place in the house that he could be hiding out.

Jon scanned the faces of his squad and whispered quietly to the squad to try and capture the man inside alive. By the number of guards that they had faced, it was likely that Krazney’s was alone and unguarded.

Once again after counting down from three on his fingers, Gendry kicked the door down and as one, the squad swarmed the silent room.


	6. Lanister Inc.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello everyone! Chapter 6 is here (regretfully shorter though) and more mysteries are unfolding! Remember to comment with what you like and what you want to see, I'm always getting inspired by your comments!

**Dany P.O.V**

The pain in her shoulder was piercing now, but she knew if she dropped out now Jon would likely capture Krazneys alive. If Krazneys saw her, Grey Worm, or even Missandei she knew that their cover would be blown to shreds. There was absolutely no way she would let that man live regardless of her identity, what he did to Grey Worm and Missandei alone deserved death, not to mention her family and her country.

So she shooed Jon, Arya and Tormund’s concerns away, saying that the bullet had merely skimmed her. But when she felt the area gingerly, she could tell the bullet had gone straight through her shoulder. Already the pain and blood loss was making her lightheaded, so she started to sprint for Krazneys office.

And Jon. What the actual hell was he doing with a Valyrian steel sword? A metal mined from Valyrian Mountains and forged with the hottest flames in the world, the metal was a Valyrian secret. Only Royalty and the richer nobles of Valyria owned weapons made of it, her own weapons were all infused with it as well. But gods did he use it well. Dany deliberately ignored how his strong hands griped the longsword, how they swung it above his head-oh god she wasn’t ignoring it.

They met up with Missandei (her trusty daggers a gift from Dany only 3 years ago), Grey Worm and Gendry by the door and she ignored Missy’s pointed stare at her shoulder, avoiding her gaze. Jon counted down from three and Gendry kicked open the heavy door with a powerful kick.

The squad swarmed the room and when the dust from the door settled she saw him. Just like last time he was sitting with an arrogant smile painted on his eastern features.

His expensive Essosi robes and oiled skin and beard were just as she remembered. Dany stepped forwards at the same time as Grey Worm and Missy, their stares focused on his smug face.

The office was large and luxurious, with many exotic tapestries and artefacts tucked into shelves. She saw Grey Worm stiffen out of the corner of her eye, and when she saw what he was looking at she understood his reaction.

An old slave collar sat atop a shelf displayed like a trophy, the black leather holding promises of pain and suffering. Grey Worm snapped out of it and turned to face Krazneys again, a hatred burning in his eyes for the man who had enslaved him.

Krazneys smug look didn’t last for long, and she could see the wheels turning in his head. He stood up abruptly and took a step back. He put a hand behind his back, reaching for something, and Grey Worm immediately raised his gun threateningly.

“Well, well, well” Krazneys spoke finally. “There’s three faces I thought I’d never see again” He said this in the common tongue, which made Dany glance nervously at the rest of the squad. Krazneys grinned and asked, “How’s the family?” Dany snarled and took a further step forward.

The squad were frowning in confusion, and Dany knew that she had to act quickly before their cover was blown and Krazneys spilled anything else.

Krazneys had not missed her nervous glance, and from the delight in his face she knew that he had figured it out. “Keeping secrets are we now?” he teased “Why, _Your Grace_ , lying is unbecoming of Royalt- _Bang!_

Krazneys slumped backwards, dead. Dany’s pistol was hot in her hand, the smoke slowly fading into the gloom of the office.

“He have gun” Grey Worm spoke, as if he were trying to explain her action to the stunned and alert squad. Dany holstered her pistol and turned to lean against the desk, her shoulder burning. She placed Rhaegal on the wall beside her with care and closed her eyes in pain, her world spinning slightly.

Arya crossed the room to Krazneys body, and pulled a small pistol from his back pocket, unloading it and letting the six bullets fall to the plush carpet, one by one. Missy had moved to the desk and was rummaging through his drawers, while the rest of the squad attempted to make contact with base, confirming the kill.

Dany was leaning against a bunch of files, and out of curiosity (and a distraction for the pain) she lifted some up to read. The Valyrian text was easy to read, but its contents was confusing. It was a bank transfer report from the Iron Bank, with a total of six million dollars transferred from **Lannister Inc.** to **Sons of the Harpy**.

 What in the world? **Lannister Inc.** as in Cersei Lannister, the woman who had declared herself the ruler of Westeros, sparking the separation of the Kingdoms of Westeros? And the Harpy’s? The men who had slayed her family and taken Valyria for themselves? 

 Why were the Lannister’s paying the Sons of the Harpy six million dollars? The words on the sheet were spinning in her head now, but Missandei had let out a small gasp and was looking at Dany in horror.

 Missy was crouched over the desk, clicking through Krazneys laptop, and Dany made her way over with slow steps, her vision blurring.

Missandei had a chain of emails displayed on the screen, all from **Lannister Inc** to Krazneys himself, dated back six months ago. The pain was worsening now, her shoulder spiking pain that ran through her whole body. The contents of the emails confused her, blueprints of Valyria and the castle, numbers of royal guards and then…folders.

One folder for each member of her family. She clicked on Rhaegar’s and was assaulted with images of him throughout the years, him playing the harp, walking through the streets and more. His favourite places, skills and hobbies were noted, and his wife Elia and their children were all included. Every single one of the folders were stamped with **Eliminated.** All except hers.

Her folder was the biggest. She scrolled through the pages, the words swimming around and not making sense. Her information was all documented and photos of her appeared. Smiling with her family, holding her baby nephew Aegon, standing with her mentor Oberyn and even more.

 It was filled with notes. Notes on how she was engaged to a Dothraki Khal she met during her travels and when another Khal killed him, how she burned his body and defeated the opposing Khal to take control of the Khalasar.

 More information on how she took her new Khalasar around slavers bay to free all the forgotten slaves, before taking them back to Valyria to forge new lives for themselves.

Her whole life story was laid out on this laptop, her identity merely meters away from the squad. Missy looked at her with matching confusion and shut the laptop, placing it in her gear bag, hidden away. Dany stepped back dizzily, her shoulder hitting the wall.

Pain exploded in her body and she cried out, slumping down the wall and leaving a trail of her blood on the expensive tapestries. Jon and Missandei rushed to her, the squad forming a huddle around them.

Missy acted quickly and ripped the camo shirt of her uniform open, leaving her in her pale green shirt that Missy again tore off. She was now in her plain black singlet, the marred and heavily bleeding flesh of her shoulder visible. Through the pained haze, Dany heard Jon hiss and say “that is not a _skim_ ”. Jon shouted for a med kit and caught the one Tormund threw him, opening it desperately with fumbling fingers.

She registered Missandei injecting her with something, the needle cold against her skin. And she felt a large hand grip hers tightly, a voices yelling above her, mixing into each other.

As black spots appeared in her vision, Dany did not however register that her Targaryen Sigel tattoo was showing on her right arm, the dragons roaring at the frantic squad from her skin. She did not recognise that her war paint was displayed as well, the familiar and threatening Dothraki war symbols and runes swirling on her skin in blacks and reds, mixing with her blood and sweat.

The hand holding hers felt safe but she couldn’t hold on, couldn’t fight it. The black spots grew and the darkness took her.


	7. Priority’s and Duty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jons P.O.V now! He's getting progressively more confused and I have to admit its amusing to write! I'm very sad as well because I believe that Emilia Clarke has wrapped up filming for season 8 (please correct me if i'm wrong!). anyway, remeber to leave a comment with what you liked and what you want to see and a Kudus-they really help and always inspire me!

**Chapter 7-**

**Jon P.O.V**

Jon scanned the determined faces of his squad and whispered quietly to the squad to try and capture the man inside alive. By the high number of guards that they had faced, it was likely that Krazney’s was alone and unguarded.

Once again after counting down from three on his fingers, Gendry kicked the door down and as one, the squad swarmed the silent room.

Jon surveyed the room and raised his gun to the man seated at his desk, in sync with the squad. The relaxed man he was staring at was obviously Krazneys, his bald head and oiled beard matching the photo they had up in the common room. 

The room was large, and Jon saw no immediate threats in the office, no traps or cameras either. The office was decorated richly and Jon was disgusted to see a display of whips and slave collars. Dany, Missandei and Grayson stepped forward, and Jon was about to step forward to join them when Krazneys started.

The man suddenly moved out of his chair and stood behind it as if it were a shield, his eyes locked on Dany’s. Dany was holding her spear out, the red on her shoulder still growing with a pace that worried Jon. Krazneys surveyed the three in front of him, and his face had turned from smug to fearful to gleeful in a matter of moments. He gave a knowing and wicked look to the three who stood before him. Out of the corner of Jon’s eye, he saw Tormund, Arya and Gendry’s restless confusion.

“Well, well, well” Krazneys spoke with glee. “There’s three faces I thought I’d never see again”

Never see _again_? How in the world would a slaver from across the world know three soldiers form the Reach? Jon was growing increasingly unnerved.

“How’s the family?” He directed this question with a grin to Dany, and she snarled and took a threatening step forward. Jon was confused, how would he know of Dany’s family thousands of miles away?

 “Keeping secrets are we now?”  The perfumed man said, “Why, _Your Grace_ , lying is unbecoming of Royalt- _Bang!_

Jon lurched forward as Dany’s pistol flashed, the shot ringing through the room and silencing the man forever. Dany lowered the gun and turned to lean against the desk, closing her eyes and lying her spear against the wall.

Grayson pointed out the gun in the man’s back pocket, seemingly not at all affected by the man’s death. Arya moved forwards and unloaded the small gun out on the lavish carpet. Dany was still silent, and Jon shared a long look with Arya. What was Krazneys about to say?

Royalty? Your Grace? And how did he know them? Jon knew now that something bigger was at play, and his silent conversation with Arya confirmed his thought, he had let it go on for too long, and he needed answers soon before it got dangerous.

He turned to Gendry and ordered him to make contact with base and confirm the kill. He himself whipped out the squads mission logbook and stated writing times in as protocol required. He was about to get Tormund to patrol outside when he heard a thud. Whipping around he saw Dany sliding down the wall, the extravagant wallpaper stained with her blood. Jon rushed to her, heart racing but was beaten by Missandei who knelt beside her friend. Jon joined her on the ground as Missandei pressed her hand to Dany’s shoulder and her hand came away dripping with blood.

Missandei started tearing off Dany’s camo shirt, and Jon was too stressed to blush. Dany was now in her plain black singlet, which was stained a glossy red. Jon yelled out for a med kit and Tormund threw him one immediately.

 Dany had almost passed out now, and Missandei took a syringe from the kit and found Dany’s vain with steady hands. Jon was so panicked he didn’t realise that he was practically squashing Dany’s hand into his, and he hated himself for not being able to let go.

Jon handed Missandei the tools she needed quickly and helped her clean and stitch up the skin. The bullet had gone completely through Dany’s shoulder so Missandei stitched the other side up rapidly as well. With practised ease, Missandei cut off the stitch and bandaged her shoulder tightly.

Jon sat back and drew a long breathe, the squad all looking anxious. The bandages stopped just before Dany’s bicep, and when Missandei moved back and Dany’s arm turned over limply he saw the tattoo that branded the inside of her arm.

He didn’t recognise the mark on her sun kissed skin, its black ink threatening and a clear warning. A three headed dragon? Its three fire breathing heads made imposing figures, wickedly sharp claws, a spiked tail with a dangerous looking edge and two large wings curled along its body. It wasn’t big, but it was obvious that the rest of the squad had seen it as well, as Arya had bent over to get a better look.

Grayson took a deep breath as well, his face growing more worried by the second, a rare display of emotion that Arya picked up almost immediately.

Missy noticed the stares directed at her friends arm and quickly turned over her bicep so the fierce dragon wasn’t showing. Jon frowned at Missandei, and a pleading look came over her face. Jon silently agreed and dropped the silent question that was hanging in the silent room.

But more questions arose when he saw the other marks covering her body. Red and black paint traced and twirled strange symbols on her chest and arms. The marks gave a threatening feel, and the red and black clashed brutally against each other. They looked like runes, but Jon had never seen the likes of them before.

Jon realised he was doing far too much staring and snapped back into action, following the standard protocol and sending out Tormund and Gendry to bring the car around the mountain and up to compound so that they didn’t have to carry Dany and disturb her wound.

While they rushed off he walked over to Arya, noticing Grayson and Missandei softly conversing over Dany’s unconscious form. Arya was standing by the desk, her eyes roving over the double sided spear. Jon could see the admiration in Arya’s eyes as she looked at the bronze blades.

Arya spoke to Jon, her eyes still locked on the spear, “She twirled that thing as if she were one with it, as if it were just another limb”. She had indeed, her whole body moving with the momentum the spear brought.

“Where does one learn to spear-fight in the reach?” Jon asked her, “They don’t” Arya replied solemnly. She traced her fingers over the polished wood, feeling the scratches and the thin metal dragon. “And that tattoo?” he inquired.

 “Never seen it before” Arya told him, “Possibly connected to the spear though, look at the dragon on it”. Jon agreed, but he knew nothing of dragons or what they symbolised.

Arya told him that she had found Grayson in the two girls rooms yesterday, and that it was obvious she had interrupted a serious conversation-too serious a conversation for almost strangers. “They know each other” Jon said, “I just don’t know how”.

“There’s something bigger going on Jon, we need to stay careful, and we need to stay together” Arya broke her stare on the spear and looked at Jon now. “The lone wolf dies, but the pack survives” Arya turned away from him and left to head towards the sound of the approaching car.

Missandei and Grayson had heard the car approaching as well, and Jon moved forward to lift Dany. As he bent down, he saw out of the corner of his eye Missandei tuck a laptop further into her pack. It was definitely Krazney’s laptop, and Missandei was technically stealing it from the Northern Army. But when he looked down on Dany’s pale face and listened to her harsh breathing, something in him told Jon to leave it alone, for now at the very least.

He lifted Dany carefully under Grayson’s warning stare. He tried not to notice how her lithe and small body fit against his, how her silver hair stained red brushed his bare arm and cascaded down her back. He focused instead on the darkening bandages and her steady breathing. Missandei grabbed the spear and rushed after them, gun raised.

He and Grayson carefully lifted her into their waiting Land Rover, using the stretcher in the back to keep her from sliding around as they rushed back to base. Jon swung in the back and locked eyes with Missandei, who was kneeling beside her friend and injecting more morphine.

 Missandei looked panicked as she kept the dragon tattoo hidden without anyone noticing she was trying to. But Jon noticed, but knew he wasn’t going to get anything out of her and would have to do some research of his own.

As the car speed along the rough landscape, Jon rubbed his own tattoo under his shirt. The Direwolf snarled on his right pec directly opposite from one of his six scars. A result from his first tour of duty gone wrong, when he was with a special forces squad called The Nights Watch.

The nightmares followed him still, the feeling of a knife slipping between his ribs never forgotten, and his desperate fight for life as he lay in a pool of his own bloo-No.

He couldn’t start thinking about this. Not now. He needed to be strong for his team, the northern army needed to be his first priority.

But priority’s and duty flew out the window and into the dark night when Dany’s limp hand was bumped into his from Tormund’s erratic driving, and he couldn’t stop his fingers curling around hers.


	8. Just a children's story

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! Bit of detective work from Jon in this chapter! As always comment with what you liked and what you want to see! Also how cute was Kit and Rose's wedding!

**Chapter 8-Just a children's story**

**Jon P.O.V**

The Land Rover hurtled through the night, making it back to base in half the time it should have taken. Tormund drove them right up to the Medical Wing yelling colourfully at two poor soldiers who got in their way. Dany was still unconscious in the back, and the early morning sun was rising above the peaks of towering mountains.

Jon jumped out first, hollering for a doctor as he and Grayson lifted her stretcher out of the car. A sense of relief filled Jon when Sam Tarly rushed outside with a bunch of other army doctors. Sam had been one of Jon’s best and first friends in the training academy and he trusted Sam with his life. And now with Dany’s.

Jon pushed away a man who was trying to get Dany out of Jon’s hands a bit rougher than he should have, insisting he would bring her to a room himself. Sam guided him to an empty room and Jon laid her down gently on the crisp white sheets. Sam didn’t bother with hellos as he ushered Jon out of the room and called more doctors in.

Jon didn’t register getting pushed out of the room, his gaze locked on Dany as more doctors and nurses rushed in. He snapped out of his panicked daze when the bright white blinds on her window shut and he was left staring at his own reflection. Gods he looked bad. Blood streaked down his pale face and sweat tangled his curls.

He knew that he looked like hell, but duty calls. He needed to meet with the commander. Commander Mormont was an old man, but the army was his life. He had joined young and never looked, and had always been a friend to Jon. He had encouraged Jon to strive to be a better leader and had helped him become a sergeant.

Jon walked across the dusty camp in a daze. He was shocked from the mission still, hurt and betrayed that Dany had denied her injury to the team, and to him. He was her goddamn sergeant, not some unexperienced green boy. He didn’t understand why she did, and he couldn’t understand her reason to keep pushing on and eventually killing Krazneys.

Jon reached the commanders tent, larger than most and certainly cooler than outside. Mormont was seated behind a large desk, around him a room full of documents and screens that flashed and beeped. Jon stepped before the desk and saluted, and the man nodded for him to sit. Jon sat in the uncomfortable metal chair and waited for the man to speak, hoping to all the gods he could make this quick and get back to his squad.

 

“The target is dead I hear, sergeant?” Mormont spoke, his eyes moving over Jon’s dusty and blood soaked form. “And one soldier down as well, Dāria I believe-one of the two new ones?”

 

“Yes sir” Jon said, keeping his voice calm and collected. “We stormed the compound and had it secured in less than 20 minutes, sir”.

 

 “And when was Dāria shot?” the man asked. “Just before we found Krazney’s office” Jon answered. “Before? Your report says that Dāria was the one to kill Krazney’s”. “Yes sir she was, at the time she believed her injury to be less significant than it actually was”.

“So after the target was struck down, did you gain any evidence? Papers, document or electronic devices that Krazney’s may have been using?” Mormont questioned. Jon hesitated, thinking back to Missandei and the laptop in her pack and the bloodstained documents that had been in Dany’s hand. Jon opened his mouth to answer and then closed it; his thoughts filling with the pleading look that Missandei had shot him. “No sir” Jon said at last.

The Commander leaned back in his chair and clasped his hands in front of him, “None at all?” “No Sir” Jon answered again, more confidently this time. Mormont looked Jon over again, and the silence stretched on for what felt like an age. Suddenly the man lent forward again and broke the silence, telling Jon he was dismissed and that he expected a detailed report by the evening.

Jon got up from his chair calmly, unclasping his hands and noticing how clammy they were instantly. He saluted and turned away to walk out of the tent and into the humid breeze outside, releasing a breathe he didn’t know he was holding. His steps were forced and his shoulders tight. He had lied to a superior officer. He had broken his word, his code, his honour even. Words from an age ago crept into his mind, words he had scoffed at when he heard them.

 _Love is the death of duty._ Told to him by his old commander in the Nights Watch squad. He had chosen duty over love before, and how that had turned out would haunt him for the rest of his life. But love? For a girl he had met less than three days ago? And he knew nothing of her or the secrets she undoubtedly kept.

He would think of it later, after he had met with the squad at least. Tormund had no doubt sent everyone for a shower with the demand that they come back to the common room for “debriefing”. Debriefing in Tormund’s mind meant drinks and bragging over the mission. Jon made his way to the common room, a thought forming in his head that would have to wait until he could talk privately with Tormund.  

Sure enough Tormund had forced everyone into the common room, but the room was sombre and grim, everyone undoubtedly thinking over the past 24 hours in their heads. Everyone turned to look at him, Missandei rising from her chair anxiously.

 “She should be alright, the best doctor I know is working on her”. A collective sigh of relief went through the room, Missandei sinking back into her chair clothing her unopened beer with shaky hands.

 Jon took his seat next to Tormund and waited for the conversation to trickle in. Arya conversed with Gendry seriously, and Grayson and Missandei spoke in hushed tones. He met Tormund’s eyes and for once the giant of a man had no grin on his face.

“The marks Tormund. On her skin, painted red and black swirls, like runes.” Tormund took a deep breath and a deep swig of beer. “Back home, wildings would tell stories of warrior horselords who decorated themselves before battle. Stories to frighten children into behaving and such, a supposed myth. It was said that they were ruthless and fierce, their savagery unrivalled even to wildings.”

Jon’s eyebrow knitted together and he leaned forward closer, “what were they called Tormund?” “The Dothraki” Tormund murmured, his rough accent rumbling through the foreign word. “Wild people, who worship their horses and honour strength above all”. Jon looked over to Missandei and Grayson, huddled in the corner, and wondered what secrets were slipping from their mouths in almost silent whispers.

“But they’re not real? Just a stupid story to scare kid?” Jon asked him, disbelief growing in his mind. How could a girl barely reaching his shoulder know about horselord traditions?

“You saw her today Jon. With the way she fights, she might even have you on your knees, and you’re the best fighter I know. Whoever taught her that, the runes and the fighting, was not Westerosi Jon.”

Tormund took another swig of beer, foam catching onto his fiery moustache and beard. “You got your work cut out for you, pretty boy, if you’re going after a girl like that.” Jon shot him a scathing look, but one look at Tormund’s horribly innocent and winking face, he shed a small grin.

Jon left Tormund to his beer and crossed the room to where Arya was slapping Gendry hard on the arm, and by the way Gendry scurried off, he’d say the poor boy was glad for the interruption.

“You really need to lay off on him” Jon told her frowning. “No can do” Arya replied “not while he’s being a stupid bull, which is all the time”. Jon just nodded, knowing he wouldn’t win an argument against Arya anyway.

He told Arya what Tormund had told him, about the Dothraki on the other side of the world. He could see a glimpse of wonder in Arya’s eyes at the thought of wild Horselords running free around Essos. She asked the same questions that were stuck in his head, why would someone from the Reach know Dothraki traditions, and why would they chose to come all the way to the Northern army?

The talking slowly drifted down, and eventually the squad drifted off to find their beds. Jon was left sitting in the common room alone and conflicted, theories too unrealistic to believe forming in his head. He eventually sat up and reached for the laptop that sat on the low table, it was strictly used for contacting family and friends, but as the sergeant he was able to access the internet as well.

 Opening a tab he stared at the too white screen, and typed in “Three headed dragon”. He hit the search button and saw the usual colourful drawings and even worse tattoo designs. None of them matched the snarling heads of Dany’s tattoo.

He clicked off images and scrolled through the websites, passing scammers who thought that they had found “dragon fossils”. He found himself on the last page of result, and _there._ Two up from the bottom, a website and a picture of the same tattoo Dany had. He clicked on it in a hurry, glancing across the room to check he was alone.

The website was a small facts page, which pages dedicated to the major families of Westeros. House Lannister and Tyrell featured across six full pages as well as the Martells from Dorne and his father’s house, Stark. Ancestral trees of major and lesser known houses could be found, and at last; all the way down at the bottom, was a small paragraph on House Targaryen.

_“The Targaryen’s are a small and extremely private royal family, little known about them except the fact they rule the small country of Valyria. The Targaryen’s are known only by their dragon house Sigel, also the flag of Valyria. They are also rumoured to have once ruled Westeros, and heavily linked to mythical dragons.”_

Jon blinked slowly, absorbing the three sentences in front of him. He had grown up in a noble household, yet had never even heard of the “Targaryen’s” let alone “Valyria”. Was Dany Valyrian? It would explain the tattoo, as it was apparently the country’s symbol. But again, what was a goddamn Valyrian doing with “Dothraki” runes and what were they doing in the northern army.

He moved to click off the page but accidently scrolled down just a bit further. In a single line just under the main paragraph read a sentence that made Jon’s heart skip a pace.

_“Targaryen’s are supposedly known for their amethyst eyes and silver hair.”_

Jon closed the laptop and shut his eyes. Silver hair resting on his shoulder, eyes opening and pools of amethyst looking into his in this very room. It all rushed to him, and he griped his head in his hands.

“Oh shit”


	9. Dāria

**Chapter 9- We believe what we choose to**

**Jon P.O.V**

After sitting in silence for around 20 minutes, Jon rose from his seat and picked up the laptop. He made his way to Arya’s room, and she opened the door without him needing to knock, as if she were expecting him in that scary way of hers. He slipped inside and silently showed her the open page, her always blank mask slipping and exposing her shock. She looked at Jon in disbelief, her dark eyebrows knitting together.

“I was expecting an Essosi merchant, a wayward sailor, even a fucking pirate Jon.”

“We can’t be positive though, coincidences happen” Jon tried to back track with, but the look Arya shot him told him that she called bullshit. Arya took the computer from his and started googling “Targaryen’s” but nothing would come up besides the same website. She googled Valyria and it was like they never existed, suggestions coming up for the latest cooking appliances.

“If she’s a Targaryen, that means that she’s got at least some royal blood in her, she could be a fucking Duchess Jon! Why would a Duchess be camping out in a war torn country and fighting for a land that’s not her own?”

He remembered now Krazneys’s words, how he had addressed her as “your grace”. That definitely confirmed her status as at least partly royal.

“Also Jon, I want to know how a Duchess learnt to fight like that” Jon laughed, knowing that Arya thought of Nobles as pampered and spoiled children who probably couldn’t cut a twig for firewood. Jon’s smile dropped when he told Arya about his lie to the Commander.

 To his surprise, Arya only nodded in acceptance. “I knew you would Jon, with the way you didn’t let go of her in the truck, you wouldn’t rat her out.” Jon frowned and decided not to protest against Arya. He left her to rest and went straight for the medical wing, finding Dany’s small room empty from Doctors and Nurses.

He went inside, the quiet room only interrupted by the beeps of various machines. A fresh uniform lay over a chair, most likely cutesy of Missandei, and a clipboard hanging off of the wall informed Jon that she had previously woken and was extremely stable.

She was lying on the bed, sheets drawn up to her neck and obscuring the wires that connected to the drip machine. The Dothraki runes were gone as well, alone with any traces of blood. Her hair was out and brushed, again Missandei, and she looked peaceful-almost angelic and she breathed slowly, sending a bit of loose hair flying. Before he could stop himself he took a seat and brushed that bit of hair of her face, removing his hand almost immediately.

He could almost imagine it, a lost duchess or noble of a faraway land, as he stared down at her delicate features. He tore his eyes away from her and forced himself to stare at the heart rate monitor, the ups and downs of her heartbeat slowly making his eyes close and weariness set in. He leaned back in his chair and couldn’t help but succumb to sleep.

“What the point of visiting me if you’re not going to stare at my gorgeous face Jon Snow?”

His eyes snapped open and he straightened at once, looking down at her smirking face. Her eyelashes fluttered and she looked like she was fighting sleep as well.

“Just wanted to see if you were well is all,” He said softly, selfishly not wanting to alert the staff that she was awake. She shifted a little, grimacing at the sight of the needle in her arm. “I fucking hate needles” she grumbled, and he let a small smile slip onto his face at the sight of such a warrior cringing at the sight of needles.

She wasn’t meeting his eyes however, and he looked at his scarred hands as silence fell over the small room.

**Dany P.O.V**

_“I will not! Never in a million years will I marry a man I do not love!” she screamed at her father, who was leaning back in his lavish chair. All around them were brilliant paintings of Targaryen victories and battles, weapons and various instruments all displayed proudly in the Kings private study._

_“You will do as you are told Daenerys! This match will strengthen our relationships with the high lords and you will not ruin this for me!” Aerys stood up now, his silver hair gleaming and pale, watery violet eyes glaring at her._

_The intensity of his glare almost made her sit down, but she instead yanked up her sleeve, violently showing her father the three headed dragon tattoo._

_“Zaldrīzes buzdari iksos daor” she hissed at her father, “A dragon is not a slave, do you remember our words? I will not be a slave to some pampered lord; I will not be a pretty little wife who smiles when she’s told!”._

_Aerys snarled now and slammed a hand down on his expensive oak desk, “You have shamed me and this family, you have marked your skin without permission, you have disobeyed me at every turn. You will marry, and it will be for the benefit of the Targaryen line. Your brother was lucky to have fallen in love with a princess, you would do well to follow his footsteps!”_

_“Footsteps! Footsteps! All I have ever done is try and please you, all I wanted was for you to show some pride in me! But nothing I do could ever please you, so I turned to Rhaegar. He has been more of a father to me than you, and has never forgotten me!”_

_She whirled around and strode for the door, opening it and spitting out her parting words. “I’m leaving, and you will not stop me. I will not marry your spoiled brat of a lord and I will pave my own path from this day forwards. I will come back-if only for you to see my success.”_

_She slammed the door before she could hear his response. She slammed into a tall body. Rhaegar looked down at her, his melancholy expression always present. He hugged her tightly, and then pushed her down the hall. He whispered to her softly, “go”, and she saw the single tear run down his pale cheek. She spun and sprinted to her room to pack, where she found Missandei already waiting with two sets of bags._

_Beep_

_Beep_

_Beep_

She woke to the sight of an almost snoring Jon Snow. Granted it was a nice view to wake up to, but she was anxious about what he might say. Missy had come in earlier and laid out a fresh uniform, also telling her that they had all seen the war paint and tattoo, and she knew that it was only a matter of time before they pieced things together.

She woke him up with a smartass comment, half to see how he would react and half to lighten the mood and hopefully steer the conversation away from the tattoo and paint. But then he had gone and messed her up with his northern accent and she had no come back. The mood was quickly turning serious again, and she barely staying awake (no doubt because of those goddamn injections).

He was staring at his hands now, and she bit her lip and cringed at the awkward mood of the room.

“Why didn’t you tell us that it was that bad?” The question tumbled out of his mouth in a rush, and through his tone, she heard the unspoken _why didn’t you tell me?_ Well she couldn’t tell him the truth, but each lie she told now was adding up, weighing her down.

“I’m just very stubborn” She told him after a long pause. It wasn’t a lie at the very least, but the disappointment at her answer still showed on his face. Oh gods what she’d give to be out of this room, away from the too loud machines and his disappointed face.

He was looking at her different as well, she couldn’t quite name the emotion on his still dusty face. He had heard Krazneys as well as she had, he had seen her war paint, her tattoo. There was no way that he didn’t have some kind of idea or suspicion about who she was.

“Well, I’ll leave you to rest then, we need you back quick-Arya’s not shut up about wanting to fight you” He stood up and crossed the room to the door, but as his hand reached the doorknob she spoke. “Jon.” He turned around and looked at her. Words rushed through her head, explanations and truths that he deserved.

“Tell Arya to prepare to lose”. She forced a smile on her face and he slowly grinned back, closing the door and leaving her alone again.

She hated herself immediately, gods she was such a coward. She needed to get out of this place, she needed to see her people on Dragonstone, she needed to figure out why the fuck the Lannister’s were conspiring with the Harpy’s.

 For fucks sake she wasn’t even 20 yet. She was a Queen with no people, a Queen with no country.

She exhaled deeply and tried to roll over, cursing as the wires started to tangle. Sleep was taking over now, and she knew that she would be out of here sooner if she let it take her.

**Jon P.O.V**

_“Tell Arya to prepare to lose”_

She had almost told him something, something important as well. When she called him back into the room just tell him to warn Arya he saw the regret flash on her face, saw her grip the white sheets tightly. But he forced a smile anyway, and left her in the crisp white room.

He crossed the base for the hundredth time, just wanting to sleep and forget about the last 24 hours. He passed the squads rooms as he trekked to his own at the end of the corridor, hearing silence from all of them.

But as he reached Arya’s room, the one before his own, he saw her leaning against the doorframe. She was waiting for him, and by the look of her face, it was not a social call. She jerked her head for him to follow her into the room and she shut the door silently.

Arya pointed to the bed and he sat down on the unmade and uncomfortable cot bed, already hating the idea of a possible problem. He spotted the open laptop on her small desk, “abusing my internet privileges now, huh?”

She ignored him, grabbed the laptop off the desk, and showed him the open page. It was a translator page, from _Valyrian_ to the common tongue. He glanced up at her, and she told him with the most serious tone he had ever heard her use, to “type in Dāria”.

He looked back down at the blinking curser and typed in Dāria slowly.

“Fuck”

Because on the common tongue translation page, read a five-letter word that created so many problems he couldn’t count them all.

_Queen_


	10. Dany Giantsbane

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back again after a regrettably long break. Been in bed sick with a case of writers block!  
> Hope you enjoy, and as always drop a Kudos or a comment if you feel like it-they really help me!

**Chapter 10- Dany Giantsbane**

**Dany P.O.V**

“Well, normally we’d like to keep you just a bit longer...” said the doctor warily as she laced up her boots and tucked her camo pants into them. She stood to face him and told him kindly “you’ve done a great job- I feel right as rain”. Which was a lie (she was beginning to lose count of how many she had told now), she still had sharp pains lacing up and down her shoulder, but she just wanted to be out of the too clean medical wing.

“If your shoulder starts flaring or you feel off at all, you’ll come find me won’t you?”

“Yes Dr Tarly” she grinned at him and all but sprinted from the room, nearly knocking the portly doctor to the ground. Missy met her outside the wing with a huff, “Took your time didn’t you!”

She grinned and elbowed her, Missy directing them to the training amphitheatre (which wasn’t a amphitheatre at all, just a few racks of weapons and a crude circle drawn in the dust). “Jon wants us training today, close combat fighting as well” she looked at Dany with a wince, “don’t go too hard on them”.

“Don’t worry Missy” she said as she spied the squad lounging around the amphitheatre. Tormund was teaching Gendry how to throw an axe, determinedly cheerful even though Gendry had no clue what he was doing. “When have I ever gone too far!” she strode off to join the squad, just catching Missy’s actually pretty good imitation of her words behind her.

Tormund was the first to spot her, and swept her up in a big bear hug that took both of them to the ground. Gendry seemed relieved to be rid of the huge man. Laughing she got up and brushed herself off, instantly meeting Arya’s eyes. Those steel grey orbs were focused on her with a strange sort of _respect?_

“Jon told me you wanted a fight”, Arya grinned and looked behind her where Jon was standing. He was ever so still, curly hair smoothed back into a tight bun and frown present.

He was also looking at her strangely, and he eventually averted his eyes to nod at Arya. She immediately drew the short sword at her side and stepped back a few paces. The rest of the squad formed at loose circle around them, Grey Worm handing her Rhaegal. Her commander was smiling softly as he backed out of the circle and neutrally placed his hands behind his back, ever the soldier.

 Dany smiled at the girl across from her, nodding to the sword and asking her “what style?”

Arya cocked her head and replied with a smirking, “You’ll have to find out”. Two could play that game, she thought as she immediately assumed what Missy liked to call the Arrogant Daenerys Smug Face TM. Arya placed her thin sword behind her back and spread her legs evenly on the ground, making no move. “A water dancer then” Dany said as she turned her back to Arya (not missing the slightly shocked look on her face) and gave Rhaegal a few twirls.

She heard the ever so slight _whip_ of a sword being swished through the air and turned, raising Rhaegal to meet it in a cross position. She grinned at the girl, and just for the heck of it, blew a kiss as she pushed back, sending Arya skidding a few feet back.

She struck now, first the feet and then the head within the same swing, the advantages of a double sided spear coming out. Arya jumped back and ducked the head swipe, retaliating with a short jab at Dany’s side that she promptly twisted away from. Arya moved again, a swipe going from Dany’s knees that she quickly jumped over, spinning a full circle, Rhaegal careful not to gain momentum and swing too far.

Dany laughed and spun away with Rhaegal tucked under her arm, trying to channel the charm and confidence that Oberyn had taught her. Arya was obviously a hot headed girl, and Dany’s feigned arrogance would rile her to the point of angry distraction.

 Arya had lost her stoic expression now, a snarl ripping from as she feinted for the left and struck hard at Dany’s right thigh. Daenerys held Rhaegal vertically to block it, the metal clanging against her Valyrian steel.

Dany danced back again, luring Arya to follow and attack. The girl was so focused on getting passed Dany’s rapidly spinning spear that she had no protection around her legs.

Dany noticed this and met Arya once again in the cross position, holding her sword in place and then spinning out and kicking her legs out from behind. Arya tumbled to the ground, scrambling to retrieve her sword that had dislodged from her hand when Dany spun away and turned onto her back, only to be met with Rhaegal’s sharp point and a green metal dragon snarling at her neck.

Immediately the small area was filled with clapping, Tormund whooping along with an extremely happy Gendry. Dany helped Arya up and the younger girl huffed, gave a sound of disinterest and said “I suppose you’re alright”.

Dany smiled and walked off the sandy circle to join Missandei again, finally meeting Jon’s eyes. He stared at her long enough to make her uncomfortable, and he then started walk over to her and Missy. One look from her and Missy mysteriously vanished to go and speak with Grey Worm.

Jon reached her and asked how she was, keeping the conversation light and friendly.

“OI Dany!” yelled Tormund from the other side of the ring. She looked across at him in question and he hollered so that the whole squad could hear, “I’ll name my firstborn after yer if ya beat old Jonny boy in the ring!”

Arya whipped around, a slow smile breaking out on her face, Missandei giving Dany a sly wink. Jon’s eyebrows raised and she grinned and yelled back at Tormund, “What kids? No one would want to marry your ugly mug!”

Tormund gave her a crude gesture that she returned straight away. The whole squad was looking now, she couldn’t back away from this fight, and neither could Jon. He was pushed to the other side of the ring and had his Valyrian blade shoved into his hands by Arya. Now that she saw the blade up close she could see the pommel was shaped as a white wolf, matching Ghost’s albino looks.

She moved backwards as well, Rhaegal spinning lazy circles. It was easier enough to get past Arya’s defence with the small sword, but a longsword with much more power would be a huge step up.

Jon hesitantly raised his blade, and she levelled hers parallel to the ground at her hips. Tormund counted down at the edge of the ring, and she saw the slight tension in Grey Worm and Arya’s body’s.

If she wanted to beat him she would have to use her speed, using her advantage of a long spear to evade his swings. Oberyn had always told her the faster man will always triumph, and she hoped for her prides sake that it was true.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw hands exchanging coins and heard whispered bets, but she blocked them out of her mind as she gave herself to the fighting calm, the familiar buzzing in her head taking over.

She struck first, whirling around twice and landing a hard knock on his knee, barely flipping Rhaegal in time to block to strike coming for her neck. She knew he wouldn’t touch her, but she sprung back regardless and spun until she was kneeling, Rhaegal tucked under arm.

He circled her, a wild look in his eyes. She let him get behind her, let him believe that she was arrogant enough to assume she could beat him without seeing him, before she brought her kneeling foot high in the air and flipped. She thanked the gods for Oberyn’s many lessons on the importance of distracting your opponent.

She landed facing him, spear thrusting out for his side. He narrowly avoided the wicked edge by twisting and facing her side on. At the same time he swung for her hips, which she leaned back to avoid, the blow swinging over her body by a few centimetres.  

She used this opening to strike twice with the two far points of Rhaegal shaft, striking the left side of his ribs then the right, twisting away on her knees to avoid his downwards lunge. Speed, she needed speed. If she get playing blow for blow he would surely over power her.

She leapt up from her crouch and swiped at him, spinning Rhaegal so fast he became a blur in the dusty air. Jon dodged them all, coming at her with a hard swing low and then high, forcing her to go on her defensive.

They both backed up, circling each other warily. Tormund was whooping on the sidelines, and she could faintly hear Missy loyally cheering her on. He struck again, and she managed a hit on his ribs before he advanced again.

He was raising his sword to defend against her downwards swing when she instead tossed Rhaegal in the air, simultaneously sliding between his legs in a flurry of dust, catching Rhaegal and kicking him in the back. Her dramatics had Gendry whooping in glee.

She backed off and he followed her, the two Valyrian blades colliding in an x position. He was panting hard as he looked at the two blades, recognising the same material. But that look of recognition cost him, and she knocked the longsword out of his hand. His face was priceless, but she didn’t get to enjoyed it as Jon then twisted her arm, forcing her to drop Rhaegal.

She kicked his longsword out of the circle as he did the same to her spear, a growl almost escaping her at his treatment to her beloved weapon. Both now unarmed and heavily breathing, they stared at each other for half a second before they both charged. He struck her twice on both sides of her ribs with two sharp jabs, a high kick that she ducked under soon following.

She straightened up and scowled at him, and he shrugged and grinned “Karate mother fucker”. She almost laughed aloud, but kept it in as she ducked his fist and landed a hard punch to his gut. He groaned and bent over slightly, which she used to her advantage, jumping high and landing a soft (well by her standards) kick to his neck.

Now he stood up, which totally did _not_ impress her, and tackled her hard to the ground. She rolled on the hard surface, his fist slamming down on the spot her head was not a second before. She grabbed his uniform collar tight, rolling them around several times, but his strength took her by surprise, and he had her on the dust, straddling her torso with her hands pinned. She would deny with all her being the blush that crept over her face, and refused to acknowledge his so very different smell that she was yet to place.

Loud cheering from Arya exploded from the sidelines, and he started to grin before she hooked a leg around his neck and pulled down (thank the gods for flexibility and stretching), swinging him backwards and then flush against her stomach as she put him in a hold. His legs, arms and neck were pinned tightly by delicate arms and feet, and she smiled and whispered in his ear, “Jujitsu motherfucker”. He groaned and tapped out.

She released him and they both lay on the backs in the ring, the only sounds their deep breaths and the smug voices on Grey Worm, Missandei and Gendry as they collected their money. Jon stood first and offered her his hand, which she took, and he heaved her up to stand beside him.

He hadn’t let go of her hand and he was still staring at her, his dark eyes searching. But she pulled away and accepted the back slap from Tormund. To forget about his piercing stare that she could feel on her back, she said to Tormund, “Dany Giantsbane! I like it!” Tormund grumbled but the squad broke out in laughter, Jon chuckling slightly, a sound that struck her way more than it should have.

“All right, alright, that’s enough-we’ve got a mission tonight” Jon said, a chorus of groans erupting and an apologetic look from Jon. Tormund grinned though, saying that he had a cooler full of beer stashed under a chair in the common room, and if they weren’t lightweights they could have one before the mission.

 “That’s why that chair’s always so cold,” Gendry complained. Jon tried to protest, but was ignored as everyone made their way to the common room.

Dany almost snorted at how offended Grey Worm looked at the disobedience and lack of order in the squad. Missandei shared the look as well, before turning and pushing Grey Worm to the common room.

Dany rolled her shoulder and stifled a gasp at the sharp pains, missing the intense glance Jon shot her, walking with Missandei to the common room.


	11. Women, they will come and they will go

**Chapter 11**

**Dany P.O.V**

The meeting in the common room went much the same as the previous one, with targets and routes all clearly looked over. It was just a simple mission, find the fugitive and leave without any fuss. Grey Worm was looking over the map with a soldiers eye, and Dany noticed he was looking at places that weren’t marked for the mission as well-something she made a note to ask him about.

She was still puffed and dusty from her and Jon’s fight, and her shoulder was spiking with pain as they sat around the table. She couldn’t shake the feeling of Jon’s body over hers, and he had been her hardest opponent save for Oberyn and Drogo, which in truth terrified her. Tormund held up to his promise and was handing out beers around the table.  Jon himself was standing at the head of the table and addressing them all, and she would be lying if she said she wasn’t enjoying his northern accent. 

Dany, Grey Worm and Missy would be patrolling the village while Jon, Tormund, Arya and Gendry went after the fugitive. It was suspicious that Jon would deliberately place them together like this, but she thought nothing of it as the meeting wrapped up.

There wasn’t much to say for such a simple mission, and Jon concluded his speech by stating they would be off by 7pm sharp, as the village was 2 hours away and they would be driving.

Tormund stood and gave Dany a pointed look, pulling from behind his back the guitar. The rest of the squad gave out cheers and soon Dany simply couldn’t refuse. Accepting the guitar from Tormund, she settled onto the armrest of Missy’s chair.

“Requests?” she called out, trying a few chords to warm up. She dismissed Tormund’s yell of a few heavy metal bands and nodded to Gendry’s suggestion of Fleetwood Mac. She played the intro to ‘Dreams’ and the names of songs stopped flying around the small room.

 _‘Now here you go again, you say_  
You want your freedom  
Well who am I to keep you down  
It's only right that you should  
Play the way you feel it’  
  


Missy was humming along beside her, and she refused to look at Jon, focusing her attention on the strings.

 

 _‘Thunder only happens when it's raining_  
Players only love you when they're playing  
Say women they will come and they will go  
When the rain washes you clean, you'll know, you'll know’

  
_‘And what you lost and what you had and what you lost’_

She couldn’t resist, and her gaze passed Jon’s, just for that line. He didn’t break her stare, and she ducked her head. She entered the chorus again, suddenly cursing herself for choosing a song with a line about runaway women.

 

 _‘Thunder only happens when it's raining_  
Players only love you when they're playing  
Say, women, they will come and they will go  
When the rain washes you clean, you'll know  
You'll know, you will know, you'll know’

 

The chords dropped of slowly, and she focused her attention on giving Tormund the guitar back and accepting the applause graciously. She didn’t look over to the table where Jon sat, but heard him dismiss them all quietly.

 Everyone stood to leave and prepare, and she and Missy strode from the common room back to their shared room. 

As she was leaving the room, she glanced back at Jon. He was seated at the table still, hands laced together over his mouth, steel in his eyes. The low oil lights flickered and the scars over his eyes stood out, painting a melancholic picture. He looked up then, and she turned quickly before their eyes met, following Missandei to their room.

It wasn’t long before there was a single quiet knock on the door and Grey Worm entered, the map from the common room tucked under his arm. He spread it out on the floor and stood back, hands behind his back. Dany got off the bed where she had been fiddling with her mother’s ring, and motioned for him to speak.

“My Queen, the village we go to tonight is fairly secluded, and there is space for a helicopter to land 200 meters away from the town.”

Dany frowned, not quiet getting what Grey Worm was implying, and Missandei frowned also. She gestured for him to continue with a slow nod.

“The Dragonstone armoury processes many helicopters, and with your command I can get two of them ready to pick us up tonight. Sure Spear and White Rat have been waiting for the opportunity to send the signal, and tonight we have one. While the rest of the squad is hunting the fugitive, we will move to the designated point, meet White Rat and Sure Spear and the unsullied helicopter, and set course for Dragonstone.”

Dany sat down with a strained exhale, processing Grey Worms roughly put together common tongue. If she gave the word, she would willingly betray the squad, people she had come to respect. She would become an oath breaker, something that she never thought she’d have beside her name. But she would see her people again, the people she had worked so hard to free. And if all went to plan she would be able to free the Valyrian’s, as soon as she and Missandei figured out the contents of that laptop.

A small price to pay- be branded an oath breaker but free her people. She twisted her mothers ring on her finger, mind flashing back to that day. And a small part of her, the selfish part of her, screamed that she wasn’t ready to become a queen. She had been a Khaleesi yes, and a mother to her freed unsullied, but she would always come back to Valyria as a princess.

She was never meant to be Queen, she was third in line for the god’s sake, and she had seen what being the crown prince had done to Rhaegar. It had torn the smiles and laughs from him, made him as melancholic as it came, and he wasn’t even the King!

 If she flew to Dragonstone tonight she would be thrust into the position of Queen, expected to lead, and was she really ready for that?

She could prance around with her weapons and charm as many slavers as she wanted, but could she handle being the lone leader of a whole country?

 

An oath breaker queen, she thought bitterly. Not a great message to send to possible allies. And Jon…she remembered his hand on hers in that race back to base. She would run in the night like a coward. But she looked up and saw Grey Worms face, for once full of pleading emotion.   


Her decision was made, not for her benefit, but for the benefit of the ones who called her Myhsa.

 

She stood a Queen.

 

“We fly out tonight. White Rat and Sure Shield will send the signal immediately, Tyrion and Varys are to be informed of my decision at once. Once we reach Dragonstone, Tyrion and Varys will scope out all potential allies and trade agreements. Every day the harpies wine and dine in my country is a day too many.”

Grey Worm all but sprinted out of the room. Missandei gripped her hand and her friends eyes shone with unshed tears. “We’re going to home,” Dany promised, the weight of her responsibility settling on her shoulders uncomfortably. “It’s going to be a long road, but we’ll get there,” Missandei agreed. 

Missandei shoved a few painkillers into her hand and pointed to the bed with authority even Dany wouldn’t question. Missandei slipped out of the room, most likely to meet up with Grey Worm. Dany didn’t even bother to get under the thin covers, she would be gone by tomorrow morn anyway.

 All the squad would find in her room would be a spare uniform and a freshly made bed, Dany thought bitterly. An oath breaker indeed.

**Jon P.O.V**

He made it barely two steps out of the corridor before Arya was on him. “What in the hells Jon? I’ve never seen you lose a fight like that! Why were you holding back?”

“I wasn’t holding back Arya, she had me down” he whisper yelled to her, trying to get them some privacy. He finally pulled them into a spare room, shutting the door behind him.

“Bullshit Jon, you were on top of her at one point”. He turned so Arya wouldn’t see his blush at the thought of Dany’s body under his, her violet eyes staring up at him. He almost hit himself at the thoughts that went through his head. This wasn’t just any crush or some phase, this was one of his soldiers and a fucking _Queen._ A full on, capitol ‘Q’ Queen.

Arya grabbed him by his wrist and spun him to face her, pulling her hand away when she noticed the red smear that coated it. She looked at it with that frankly terrifying look she has, and slowly turned her eyes back to him. “This isn’t yours is it?” she asked him, peering into his downcast eyes. “No its not” he mumbled and lifted his eyes up to meet hers again.

“You don’t want to hurt her, do you?”

He didn’t answer her.

Whatever she saw in his eyes, she didn’t like. She shook her head furiously, saying “Jon this isn’t some girl you met in a coffee store! This is the leader of a country in war! You can’t be getting involved with her, for your own sake and hers! Your place is here, with us, with me!”

He tried not to rise to her comments, he really tried. But she poked an old wound by pretty much saying he was out of her league, memories of his stepmother flooding back in.

“You think I don’t know that Arya! You think I don’t know she’s out of my league? I’m a bastard, highborn aye, but still a bastard. I know I’ll never be like that with her, I’d never be allowed within ten foot of her if she wasn’t most likely on the run! But just this once, let me catch a fucking break and dream!” he panted heavily and stared at her, already sorry for his outburst.

“Jon…” Arya started before he cut her off. “Get ready for tonight sister, I have a feeling were gonna need it”. He opened the door and left her standing there, making his way to Ghosts favourite hideout in the base. He could feel the wolf, deep inside of him, the connection he could never understand. Ghost was anxious, wary of something.

It was almost dark, almost time to go.

The night would bring answers he wasn’t ready to receive


End file.
